Clasp



June 11, 1935. E. MOREH'OUSE 2,004,336

cLAsF Filed Dec '24, 1952 A TTORNEYS.

.ticularly pointed out in opposite side of Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES i cLAsP Eugene Morehouse, Providence, 1., assignor to B. A; Ballou &

Island 09., Inc., a corporation of Rhode Application December 24, 1932, Serial No. 648,745 h v 10 Claims. (01. 24437) This invention relates to a clasp ,of atype more vparticularly adapted for use in connecting the ends of chains such as necklace chains or. the like, and one of the objects of this invention is the provision of a clasp which, when assembled with the chain, will cause the chain to lie close to the clasp and present an improved sembly.

Anotherobject of the invention is the provision appearance of the asof an attaching means for the clasp, with the chain or some like part to which it is to be permanently connected, which will aiiord greater security of the connection between the clasp and the chain or otherpart. i

Another object of the invention is the provision of a construction which is easier and less expensive to make without sacrificing any of the beneficial results obtained in such a clasp;

A further object of the invention is the provision of a construction of a clasp and attaching means which will require no assembly of clasp and attaching means.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a construction in which there is no opportunity for a chain to become entangled'with the attaching means and clasp.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and parthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the clasp mounted upon one end of the chain and engaging the other end of the chain.

Fig.2 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clasp detached from the chain.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the the clasp from that shown in Figure 3. i

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of clasp showing the clasp provided with two hooks at either end.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through a further modified form of clasp showing the connecting eye as being rolled in a direction opposite to the direction of roll shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the blank cut out in the form in which it will be used. for forming the clasp shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the use of clasps it is usual to provide a general band shaped formation having a hook at one end and a tongue folded from the other end to close the hook, and provided with a separate end the stock I7 is folded as andgan improved clasp provided, I have slit the stock at the joint or fold end between the body and tongue and caused an eye to be formed from a portion of the slit stock, either between a pair of slits, or between the slits and the edge where two} eyesare to be formed, whereby a less expensive construction is formed, and in its assembly greater security is afforded together with an improved appearance and a construction .wherein' the chain will not become entangled with the connecting means, and thefollowing is a detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, Iii designates one end link of the chain, and H another end link of the chain with the clasp designated genera1ly-l2 joining these two end links.

This clasp consists of a body portion or top wall I3 which may be of any desired shape being shown as a frame having opening. M in the center top. This body at one end is provided with a fold I 5 and hook i6, while at the other at l8 forming a tongue l7 making a generally band shaped formation.

The stock at the fold I8 is slit as at l9 and 2D, and between these slits l9 and 2t, anarrow portion 2| is extended outwardly in the plane of the top or body 13 and is then rolled as at 22 to provide an eye 23 which may be rolled or bent about the end bar of the link II to permanently secure the clasp to this end link while permitting freedom of movement of the tongue I! to open and close the hook NS for attachment or detachment from the cross bar of the end link I0.

The fold I 8 is somewhat weakened by slitting the stock in a manner to provide the eye 23 and may be strengthened to some extent by supports or stops 24 integral either with the tongue or the body and so positioned as to engage the other part. In this instance I have shown these stops as integral with the tongue l1 and so located that they may engage the body at a point adjacent to the fold l8 to prevent crushing of this fold by any excessive pressure, and these stops also serve as a point to determine the position from which the tongue will be bent in flexing the same to open the hook l6. Further by shortening up the flexible length of the tongue it is stiffened and a better action is provided for the device.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated the eye 25 as rolled or folded in a direction opposite from the fold between the tongue and the body which may be desirable in some instances of use.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated, as a modification,

a clasp having spaced hooks 26 and 21, and have provided a tongue 28 to close the hooks 26 and 21 .at its free end and then narrowed at its joint end 29 which has been slit, and the stock on either side of this joint end rolled into eyes 30 and 3! for forming a balanced construction, and a construction symmetrical with the hooks 26 and 21. at the opposite end of clasp.

The blank shown in Fig. 7 illustrates the body part, l3, the hook Hi, the eye 22, and the tongue ll as they appear in the blank before being folded to finished position.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a clasp, a body having a hook for separable engagement with a link or the like, an integral tongue for closing saidhook, and attaching means comprising a strip of stock integral With the body having a'free end and rolled to form an eye on an arc of suficiently small curvature to be non-resilient for permanently securing the body to some desired part.

2. In a clasp, a body having a hook folded up from one end and a tongue folded up from the other end to close said hook, and an eye formed from the stock of the clasp at said fold between the body and tongue and spaced frqm. the fold longitudinally.

3. In a clasp a body having a hook folded up from one end and a tongue folded up from the other end to close said hook, said fold between the body and tongue being slit and a por-- tion of the slit stock being deflected to form an eye for permanent attachment to some desired part.

4. In a clasp a body having a hook folded up from one end and a tongue folded up from the other end to close said hook, said fold between the body and tongue having spaced slits, a portion of the stock of the fold supporting said tongue and another portion being rolled to form eye means for attachment of the clasp to some desired part.

5. In a clasp a body having a hook folded up from one end and a tongue folded up from the other end to close said hook, said fold between the body and tongue having spaced slits, a portion of the stock of the fold supporting said tongue and another portion between said slits being rolled to form an eye.

6. In a clasp a body having a hook folded up from one end and a tongue folded up from the other end to close said hook, said fold between the body and tongue having spaced slits, a portion of the stock of the fold supporting said tongue and another portion on either side of said slits being rolled to form spaced eyes for attachment of the clasp to some desired part.

7. In a clasp a body having a hook folded up from one end and a tongue folded up from the other end to close said hook and said foldbetween the body and tongue being slit and a portion of the slit stock being deflected to form an eye for permanent attachment to some desired point, and means spaced from said fold to support the fold against crushing.

8. In a clasp, a body having a hook for separable engagement with a link or the like, closing means for the hook, and a functionally non-resilient attaching means integral with the body and independent of the hook and also independent of said closing means for permanently securing the body to some desired part without disturbing the closing means.

9. In a clasp, a sheet metal flat body having a hook bent up from one end for separable engagement with a link or the like, closing means for the hook and a non-resilient sheet metal eye of small curvature integral with the body and permanently closed after being forced to its desired position and entirely independent of the hookclosing means for securing the body to some desired part without disturbing the closing means.

10. In a clasp, a body having a fiat body plate with a hook extending from one end towards one side thereof for separable engagement with a link or the like, closing means for said hook, and an attaching eye integral with the body and in dependent of the hook and its closing means, extending from the other end of the body towards the same side of the body as said hook for permanently securing the body to some desired part without disturbing the hook closing means while leaving a plain fiat surface on one side of the clasp.

EUGENE MOREI-IOUSE. 

